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Celebrating Mandela Day

July 18 marks the birthday of South Africa’s first democratically elected President, Nelson Mandela, and has become an annual global celebration internationally known as Mandela Day.

The day was officially declared by the United Nations in 2009 and is meant to honor Mandela’s life and legacy. It recognizes the former South African President’s contribution to the culture of peace and freedom, and serves as a call to action for individuals, communities, and organizations to take time to reflect on Mandela’s values and principles and to make a positive impact in their own communities.

Find inspiration by celebrating Mandela Day locally by donating your time on July 18 to serve your community. Then, honor Mandela’s legacy while traveling in South Africa by retracing his actual footsteps. To truly understand the country’s dramatic struggle for freedom, ensure your clients experience the places that shaped the iconic leader who paved the way to the nation’s rebirth.
 

Follow the footsteps of Mandela by including these experiences into your clients’ South Africa itineraries:

ROBBEN ISLAND: Take a ferry to the Robben Island Prison Museum, just off the coast of Cape Town, to see where Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners were held during the anti-apartheid struggle. Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison here on this island. A guided tour brings to life both a difficult historical period and the strength of the human spirit under the harshest of conditions.
 
CAPTURE SITE: On August 5, 1962, police waved down a car on a country road in KwaZuluNatal. At the wheel was Nelson Mandela, posing as a chauffeur. He had been on the run for 17 months, and this arrest was the catalyst for the series of trials that would ultimately lead to his 27 years in prison. Find out more at the visitor center here, and don’t miss the site’s striking sculpture (pictured above).
 
MANDELA HOUSE: Step back in time with a visit to the small cottage in Soweto, Johannesburg, where the Mandela family lived from 1946 into the 1990s. Owning this modest brick home meant a lot to Mandela. While you view the photographs, furniture, and mementos here, you’ll learn more about his family life—as well as the culture of the townships in the days of racial segregation.
 
SANCTUARY MANDELA: Paying homage to Madiba’s depth of character and contemplative spirit, Sanctuary Mandela is a boutique hotel surrounded by lush gardens and retreat spaces filled with curated exhibits that pay tribute to the human rights activist, former president and global icon. Every corner of the property is envisaged to provide the combination of tranquility, heritage, and mindful experiences. Time spent at Sanctuary Mandela promises a sense of healing and reflection for all visitors.
 
NELSON MANDELA YOUTH AND HERITAGE CENTER: Later in life, Mandela returned to live in the remote Eastern Cape village of Qunu, where he had spent his boyhood. The values he learned here as a child are juxtaposed against his illustrious legacy through the heritage tour offered by this center, located just a few hundred feet from the coral-colored home Mandela built upon his release from prison.
 
 



Nelson Mandela fought for social justice for 67 years. On Mandela Day, you can honor this day by starting with 67 minutes.

Click here for ideas of what you can do locally to celebrate this day, honor Nelson Mandela’s legacy, and help make the world a better place.